Liberal Times

I didn’t participate in Occupy, and I’m not a member of a regulated militia.  I’m pointing out, as somebody on the sidelines, that when there was an actual need to protect the general public using the right to bear arms against a tyrannical  action of the Federal government, that the rights given by the 2nd Amendment failed.

The 1st Amendment (unlike the second) doesn’t place limitations on the use of the rights stated in that Amendment.  The first isn’t written “Congress shall make no law … or the right of the GUN OWNER to peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The 2nd Amendment is there to guarantee all the other Amendments and freedoms of All Americans… right? Where was the well regulated militia that the 2nd Amendment specifically states is the purpose of those gun ownership rights on the days when riot police directed by coordinated federal government effort came to take down the camps of the peaceably assembled petitioning the Government for a redress of grievances?

If the 2nd Amendment only exists to protect the 2nd Amendment then it is a rather useless Amendment.  If on the other hand it is truly there to guarantee our rights and freedoms, shouldn’t the militias have been there to stop an unconstitutional action violating the explicit First Amendment rights of their fellow State citizens?

The First Amendment of United States Constitution:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The Second Amendment of United States Constitution:

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

I rewatched Star Trek Nemesis last night. Not a bad movie. Yet, having seen it a decade ago (can you believe that came out 10 years ago!?) I couldn’t remember anything about it. And today, the day after watching it for the second time, I find myself having trouble remembering what it was about. It started out well, but then went to a 30 minute battle at the end. Fun? Yes, but on screen battles aren’t what make for a great “episode”.

And maybe that is the main issue with Star Trek movies, they always have to end in a Big Battle rather than a satisfying plot. Best of Both Worlds didn’t have a big battle, it had lots of small battles, and one smart strategy by the Enterprise Crew. Inner Light didn’t have any battles, yet that is probably the second best episode of ST:TNG.

And then the awful JJ Abrams reboot of the TOS. Was it pretty? Sure! But… the story wasn’t very good, opting for action over substance when it was clear substance was what was needed. Maybe the new movie won’t be sad bad. I’m sure there is a place for epic action, and amazing story telling. The two don’t need to be separate.

Meanwhile…
https://twitter.com/trekandthecity

The Republican party of the last 4 years has been a party of stubborn and mindless disruption and corruption.  The party’s political leadership has allowed  Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity to lead them around by the nose.  The AM dials complete and total control by the right wing has enabled those talk show hosts to whip out angry mobs of Tea Baggers and Birthers who sometimes go so far as to demand a new violent revolution.

So what are the Democrats to do?  The Democrats control the Senate and the Presidency and genuinely want to govern this nation, not run into the ground like their Republican counterparts.  So what is the path forward?  According to multiple source that path forward is the US Constitution.

In the case of the debt ceiling Obama can bypass congress with the Fourteenth Amendment’s explicitly stated “the validity of the public debt of the United States… shall not be questioned.”

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

- US Constitution 14th Amendment.                 

By invoking that Amendment the President may continue to pay the bills while wading through a Supreme Court trial that he is highly likely to win. Meanwhile Republicans will effectively be frozen out of the process they were elected to be a part of.  Their being frozen out is entirely and 100% their own doing, to thaw all they would have to do is come to the bargaining table in good-faith and willing to compromise.

There is also the Platinum option (32 USC, Section 5112) which allows the Treasury to issue commemorative coins, and a loophole that specifically allows the President to mint a Platinum coin.  The President could in effect mint a Platinum $1Trillion coin and deposit it with the Fed which would then issue bonds to cover it.  All legal, and completely bypasses the stubborn crazies Tea Baggers and Birthers in congress.

What about guns?

President Clinton and President Bush both issued executive orders banning the imports certain types of weapons into the United States.  Obama could use that same authority to ban weapons manufacturers from importing weapons they undoubtedly are having produced overseas these days like every other manufacturer.

And then there are other laws in the past, Obama’s legal team just needs to go digging to find them.  Laws from the 1930′s like the National Firearms Act, or the 1968 Gun Control Act.   We have 200 years of laws which have never been struck down or altered for Obama to use to get the leverage he needs to get his way.